In an election year, notaries may be called upon to notarize candidates' paperwork, including nomination petitions, campaign reports, candidate withdrawals, and oaths of office. Sometimes, notaries may feel pressured to "just sign and stamp" the forms for candidates who need to meet stringent filing and reporting deadlines.

You can avoid problems by familiarizing youself with some of the forms candidates are required to file. Let's start with campaign finance reports.

Campaign finance reports, filed up to six times a year in Pennsylvania, must be signed and sworn to or affirmed. Generally, the candidate or a campaign representative is the individual appearing before you. The notarial act is a verification on oath or affirmation. However, you will find that a typical campaign finance report is not "notary friendly." For example:

• Campaign Finance Report (DSEB-502) - This form is used by political candidates, committees and lobbyists required to disclose all campaign contributions and expenditures over $250. The notarial wording provided at the bottom of the first page lacks a venue and space for a stamp.
• Campaign Finance Statement (DSEB-503) - This form may be filed instead of DSEB-502 if the contributions and expenditures are each under $250 for the reporting period. The notarial wording provided at the bottom of the first page lacks a venue and space for a stamp.
• Independent Expenditure Reporting Form (DSEB-505) - This form is for reporting any expenditure ove $100 that is made to influence an election's outcome but that is made independently, that is, without any consultation with or the cooperation of any political candidate or any candidate's political committee. The notarial wording provided at the bottom of the first page lacks a venue and space for a stamp.

If you are aske dto notarize one of these forms, follow these procedures:

1. Demand personal appearance. These reports are completed by candidates, campaign representatives, or lobbyists. The signer who is going to file the report must appear in person before you and must sign his or her own name. Signing another individual's name constitutes forgery.
2. Identify the signer. Ask to see an acceptable form of identification. If you know the signer, you may rely on your personal knowledge of his or her identity. A signer who does not have identification may need to rely on a credible witness, personally known to you, who can swear to or affirm the signer's identity.
3. Consider competency and willingness. As always, make sure the signer knows what he or she is signing. As a service, you may remind the signer that he or she is signing the form under oath or affirmation and that reviewing the information to ensure its accuracy may be in order.
4. Add notarial wording as requested where necessary. On thise campaign finance reports, the venue is missing. Ask for the signer's permissionto add the state (Pennsylvania) and county where you are both standing at the time of the notarization. Place the venue just above the words "Sworn to and subscribed before me this" that are printed on the form. Do this as legibly as possible.
5. Take the signer's oath or affirmation. You must verbally administer the oath or affirmation ("Do you swear or affirm that information provided on this form is true, correct and complete?") Wait for the signer to respond and watch the signer sign and print his or her name. If the form has already been signed,the signer appearing before you may draw a single line through the existing signature and sign just above it. Caution the signer, however, that you cannot guarantee the report will be accepted in this form. The best procedure would be to fill out a new report.
6. Apply your official signature and stamp. Sign your name as it appears on your notarial commission. Place your stamp as clearly as you can. You may turn your stamp and place it vertically in the margin or between the signature blocks.
7. Collect your fee. The notarial fee for a verification on oath or affirmation is $5. You may charge a clerical or administrative fee, if the signer agrees to ti before you perform any services. You must provide the signer with an itemized receipt showing the notarial fee and any clerical or administrative fees separately.
8. Complete your notarial journal entry. Record the appropriate information in your journal before the signer leaves.

You can review these forms and others on the Department of State's Web site: www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/CandidatesCommittees/FormsReports/Pages/default.aspx.